A mindset of “maybe?”
Do you ever find yourself caught in a mental loop of negative thinking?
Do your everyday worries seem to be overwhelming?
Can you think of 5 ways something can go wrong instead of right?
Does the glass seem half empty instead of half full?
Instead of thinking just in black and white, positive and negative, good and bad,
can you be intrigued with the philosophy of “Maybe?”
When I find myself projecting further calamities, I find it really useful to start thinking of other ways a situation might work out. Since I’m going to be thinking about future consequences anyway, maybe some of them could be positive!
Some possible scenarios in my life:
When a buyer for the house backs out at the last moment… maybe I’ll find a buyer that’s an even better fit for this house and who has less difficulty getting financing.
Even though my local church no longer needs outside speakers… maybe there will be new opportunities for me to speak at some different venues.
Now that I am no longer being a caregiver for my husband who has died…maybe there will be other folks that I will be able to help because of my heart-felt experience.
Maybe, maybe, maybe…
We always can exercise our choice-making muscles to ensure that our take on life and its varied circumstances will be
- as helpful,
- as strong,
- as positive as we can make it.
It does mean, of course, that we will no longer choose to see things
- as awful,
- as frightening,
- as depressing.
We may well choose a middle road, one not so negative, by seeing things
- as neutral,
- as flexible,
- as possible.
We really all can choose to find hope and possibility in uncertain times.
(and when isn’t it uncertain?)
So, you can join me and…
Do you have some “maybe” thinking you would share with us?
6 Comments
Even though it is looking bad………Maybe the Seahawks will win!!! Seriously this is a great post Pat…..something I need to read several times right now…..your timing is perfect😍
Tish, thanks for the compliment! And, whether the Seahawks win or not the process of thinking about the positive possibilities will be lighter thoughts and won’t drag you down unnecessarily!
Pat–Can I copy this for a friend?
Lea, I’d love it if you shared it! And if you know someone who would like to get my posts every week, then send me their email and I’ll include them!
It’s hard to let go of things/conditions/people we have loved and gotten used to but it is necessary sometimes. I have heard that when one door closes another one opens. And we have to let go of some things to make room for new ones that are ready to come into our life. Just a thought.
Mary Kay, I sure agree with your thought! AND it’s easier? smarter? to let go with grace, since letting go will happen sooner or later anyway!